III. [Action: July 15th--19th]

[sailedfirst]

[It's been a week since Luffy was brought back home. The first few days were hard; the fact Sabo might never see him again and he's helpless to do anything about it still cuts deep. But he and Ace promised to keep living, keep moving forward. It's what they've always done, and Sabo's not about to stop now. And so to avoid moping so much, he decides to get busy.]

[July 15-19 -- Mornings, the Library]
[He'll be seen occupying a table in the library, with large sheets of paper spread out and books lying open all around him. The books are noticeably all about ships and how to build them. He's busy sketching out blueprints of a small sea-faring vessel. he's obviously not an expert, so the blueprint's almost cartoony and not accurate with regards to the finer details, like measurements and stuff, but he's got most of the main parts down.

On the 19th, he'll open his journal to ask something.]

[Voice]

Hey, are there any shipwrights around here? Or anyone who knows anything about making boats or ships?

[Afternoons (except the 17th), the beach/the mountain]
[Afternoons are spent out in the beach, just looking out to the sea, and/or exploring the nearby mountain in the hopes of meeting the Wind spirit Kipinn.]

[Evenings, the Battledome]
[Sabo can be found in the Battledome. The simulation shows a wide forest, with towering trees and a huge mountain looming behind. Sabo's armed with his usual pipe staff, and his chosen opponent is an old acquaintance to the ASL brothers: the Great Tiger of Mt. Corvo.

Even knowing he's no match by himself, he'll fight on determinedly. Of course, he's just going to get smacked around by the giant paws or batted away by that bludgeon-like tail. But he'll get up, again and again, until the auto-abort kicks in due to the boy's over-exhaustion. At one point, his journal will get knocked aside and start recording one of these fights on video.

Once he catches his breath, he'll rest a bit within a peaceful simulation of a cliff overlooking a wide blue sea, before making his way home.]

Comments

[sailedfirst]

Eh? What does that even mea--

[Now that you mention it... a loud splash caught Sabo's attention, and he finally notices that fin.]

You're a mermaid?!! [Enjoy the wonder in his eyes for a moment, Princess. Then he's snapping out of it and smiling.] Well now that makes sense!

[weakahoshi]

[Shirahoshi sheepishly rises up from the water completely and sits in the surf, her tail wrapped around behind.]

I guess even here in Luceti we're pretty rare...

[sailedfirst]

[More gaping over here because oh wow, oh wow! this is a real life mermaid!!1 And she's as wonderful as he imagines mermaids to be in the stories. Though... he didn't expect they'd come in giant sizes.

But her words reminds him of something. Of that strange water being who saved him from drowning once.] Huh. You know, I met another mermaid here. Or at least-- I think she's a mermaid. She doesn't exactly look like you, you see.

[weakahoshi]

R- really? What was she like?

[sailedfirst]

Uh, well. I was swimming in the river, you see. Then I saw this shape of a mermaid, but only she's not. She's-- er... she's made up of water. [He looks up at her, frowning slightly.] Are there mermaids like that?

[weakahoshi]

I haven't seen any mermaids like that...

[And then her eyes widen.]

M- maybe it was a... a ghost!

[sailedfirst]

E-ehhh? So... there're merfolk ghosts too?! [Oh man, this is one shiny new piece of knowledge. But then he's shaking his head.] No, I don't think she's a ghost. She's able to pull me out of the water... Maybe a water spirit? A nymph? Do you know of any other beings like that, miss?

[weakahoshi]

Um, only in stories. But maybe they're from a different place. Like, I'm from Fishman Island, in a place called the Grand Line. But other people are from other places. So maybe their mermaids are different too.

[sailedfirst]

[He really shouldn't be surprised by now. Really, he's had a few similar encounters with Luffy's crew already. But still, Sabo's eyes widens and a huge grin breaks out of his face.]

Oh, wow! Really?! We're from the same world! I'm from Dawn Island in East Blue. Are all the merfolk in Fishman Island as big as you, miss? Oh, oh! Is it true you have light that far below the surface?! I only read about it once, but they said it's one of the most beautiful islands in the Grand Line. It's one of the places I've always dreamed to see!

[Pausing in his excited rambling to breathe and smile widely.] Oh yeah, my name's Sabo. Nice to meet you!

[weakahoshi]

[Shirahoshi tries to answer, but Sabo's enthusiasm drowns her out.]

Um.

That is.

We.

It's...

[By the time he stops to take a breath, she's given up on trying to answer until she's absolutely certain he's done. Then she bows a little.]

It's nice to meet you, Sabo-sama. I'm Shirahoshi.